Give us a brief backstory on how you got started on your fitness journey/lifestyle.

(Nikki) In 2007 I lost the love of my life suddenly to cardiac arrest, he was 27 years old. While grieving I felt that I had lost all control of my life. I was drinking, smoking and neglecting my health. In 2010, with the support of family and friends, I decided I needed to start caring about myself again. I realized that I needed to start living again, not just existing. I decided to focus on exercising with the goal of losing excess weight in the fall of 2010, I decided to change my eating habits for good in the spring of 2011. I was 30 years old at the time. My first major fitness goal was to complete a 5K so in addition to strength training I used the Couch to 5K program to help build endurance to run. After doing really well in 5K and 10K races for 2 years, I decided to set a new goal/challenge for myself and began competing in bodybuilding competitions in 2013.

What struggle did you run into getting started or staying motivated to continue towards your goals?

(Nikki) In the beginning I got discouraged because I was running and working out but not seeing much change on the scale. This was because I had not yet changed what I was eating. After doing some research, I began to understand the importance of nutrition and how the foods we eat play a major part in what we look like. That’s when I began seeing results. This motivated me to keep going and also motivated me to become a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist.

What advice do you have for those struggling with motivation to reach their goals or continue with a healthy lifestyle?

(Nikki) Don’t give up even if progress is slow. Slow progress is still progress and quitting won’t speed anything up. Keep your “why” at the forefront of your mind. Revisit your reason for why you wanted to embark on the fitness journey in the first place. There will be times when you don’t feel like eating clean or working out but that has nothing to do with your “why”. If we only did things when we felt like doing them we wouldn’t get much done.

What is your approach to Diet/Nutrition and the role it plays in reaching your goals?

(Nikki) I believe the key to achieving any fitness goal lies in nutrition. Whether your goal is to lose fat or gain muscle or combination of both; what we eat makes all the difference. Personally I believe eating more whole, unprocessed foods is ideal for overall health. A tip I share is to focus on the food located along the perimeter of the grocery store, not the aisles. Along the perimeter you will find fresh veggies, fruit and protein sources. Keep it simple.

What is a typical day of eating like for you?

(Nikki) I eat between 5 and 6 meals a day, a typical day looks something this:

Meal 1 – Omelet and Plain Oatmeal

Meal 2 – Baked Cod & Veggies

Meal 3 – Grilled Chicken, Sweet Potato & Veggies

Meal 4 – Grilled Salmon, Brown Rice & Veggies

Meal 5 – Baked Cod & Veggies

Meal 6 – Casein Protein Shake or repeat of Meal 3 or 5

What is your training schedule like and how do you split your workouts?

(Nikki) I’m in the gym 6 days a week for approximately 1.5-2hrs. In addition to lifting I also do cardio 4-5 days a week.

Day 1 – Chest

Day 2 – Legs (Quad focus)

Day 3 – Rest

Day 4 – Back

Day 5 – Legs (Hamstring focus)

Day 6 – Shoulders

Day 7 – Biceps + Triceps

Favorite body part to train?

(Nikki) This is a tie between Back and Legs, I love both equally! My favorite back exercises are Pullups and T-Bar Rows. My favorite leg exercises are Squats and Glute Bridges as well as Deadlifts which hit legs and lower back.

Favorite food/Cheat meal?

(Nikki) I am a potato connoisseur! My favorite cheat meals most definitely include potatoes in some form; french fries are my favorite.

One interesting fact about you?

(Nikki) I am introverted and shy. My shyness used to cause me great anxiety but competing has helped me cope and has even helped be a better leader at work. While I’ll likely always be an introvert, sharing my story or talking about fitness in the hopes that it may help someone, is energizing to me.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

(Nikki) You have the power to do and be whatever you want. Set goals, believe in yourself, get to work, stay consistent, don’t make excuses and never quit! Be a #goaldigger